Farm safety is a major priority

FARM safety needs to be prioritised by all forms of government and the rural sector.

There have just been far too many tragedies on rural properties in the Far North in the past year.

The latest involves the electrocutions of mother and daughter Juanita Bendel and Ava Cole on the Atherton Tablelands.

The deaths apparently involved a wire believed to be attached to an electric fence and a semi-trailer on their Tumoulin property.

Safety on farms is not being taken seriously enough. Farms are relatively remote and many are run by sole operators. It means that these workplaces do not come under the stricter scrutiny of authorities like those in city environments.

Many in the farming community also have a somewhat lackadaisical outlook on safety, “a she’ll be right” attitude and a tendency to take shortcuts.

A farm safety conference last year was told there were several major farm health and safety issues across the region.

WorkCover Queensland says that only 3 per cent of Queenslanders work on farms but more than 30 per cent of workplace deaths occur on the land.

Too many good people are being killed on rural properties and families are torn apart.

There needs to be a new campaign to drive home the dangers of working on rural properties and an absolute safety-at-all costs message.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bendel/Cole family and their friends. Nick Dalton Deputy editor